Product Outlicensing/Co-development Opportunities

GFT505: Diabetes, Prediabetes, NAFLD/NASH (Phase II)
GFT505 is the most advanced compound of a group of drug candidates developed by GENFIT. GFT505 targets multiple risk factors of prediabetes and diabetes: hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, atherogenic dyslipidemia (low levels of HDL-cholesterol, elevated triglycerides), and inflammation, as well as certain liver disorders often associated with prediabetic and diabetic states (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease or NAFLD, and Non-Alcoholic Steato-Hepatitis orNASH).
Click here to learn more about GFT505.

Biomarkers (Diabetes, Atherosclerosis)
The current lack of specific diagnostic tools and appropriate (patho)physiological markers is a considerable challenge for the detection and early management of cardiometabolic diseases. In conjunction with its therapeutic research programs, GENFIT is therefore developing a breakthrough approach to biomarker identification, based on its proprietary platform (MPrintTM) for the capture and characterization of microparticles (MPs) from body fluids. The study of MPs through preclinical and clinical trials (translational research) will enable GENFIT to accelerate the R&D process, by gaining insight into pathological signatures and their evolution. The initial aim is to provide a decision-making tool to optimize drug development, and ultimately to develop true diagnostic tools through a dedicated partnership.
Currently, GENFIT is applying this technology to two therapeutic areas (atherosclerosis and Type 2 diabetes), and also has the possibility of applying it to central nervous system disorders, in conjunction with a specialized partner.

Nuclear Receptors and Circadian Rhythm
GENFIT applies its expertise in the biology and chemistry of nuclear receptors, as well as its knowledge of cardiometabolic and inflammatory diseases to research programs targeting two nuclear receptors for which the Company has already identified novel modulators. These two receptors play key roles in the regulation of the internal clock system that enables certain biological functions to be organized in a temporal fashion (circadian rhythm). Numerous epidemiological studies suggest a strong relationship between alterations in the circadian rhythm and the development of chronic pathologies such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. The targeting of these two nuclear receptors is therefore predicted to have therapeutic benefit in such diseases.

Other Opportunities

Neurodegenerative Disorders
Genfit has selected several Nuclear Receptors (NRs) that may represent next-generation therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. NRs are transcription factors that can be modulated by small molecules to act on several physiological and pathophysiological pathways. Pharmacological drugs modulating NR function have already shown efficacy in the treatment of a variety of human diseases, but NRs are a largely unexploited therapeutic field in the central nervous system (CNS). Genfit has early-stage programs on 2 NRs of relevance in neurodegenerative disorders. Genfit’s 3rd NR program is more advanced, as a lead compound with appropriate CNS pharmacokinetic features has been identified.

Gene X: Obesity and Diabetes
Genfit has identified “Gene X” as a potential target against obesity and diabetes that encodes a “druggable” enzyme preferentially expressed in human visceral adipose tissue. Genfit’s in vitro and in vivo data suggest that Gene X contributes to visceral adiposity and is implicated in lipid storage and fat accumulation.  Gene X-deficient mice are resistant to diet-induced obesity (DIO) and show reduced adipocyte size and decreased macrophage infiltration and adipose tissue inflammation. Moreover, Gene X-deficient mice maintain glucose tolerance after high-fat diet feeding, thus suggesting a role for Gene X in the development of insulin resistance. Genfit has developed a primary assay to identify novel compounds acting on Gene X, as well as secondary profiling assays and in vivo models to further characterize compounds. With a comprehensive package based on this innovative concept, Genfit is currently seeking a partner to accelerate the drug discovery process for this exciting target.

Technology Platforms and Resources
In order to optimize its capacity to predict the efficacy and/or the side-effects of its medicines in man, GENFIT continues to develop and improve its models and analytical tools to generate an ever-improving translational vision of the cardiometabolic pathology.
Thanks to its technical platforms that regroup both in vitro and in vivo technologies, to its privileged access to well-characterized pathological tissues, and to the wide range of markers that it is capable of analyzing, GENFIT optimizes the R&D process in the field of cardiometabolic diseases.

To learn more about our different early stage programme opportunities, please contact  our Business Development Team.